Chapter 42 Her Files Discovered
"Emma! Was your marriage to Mr. Harrison just a business arrangement?"
"Did you deliberately hire bots to spread lies about Zoe?"
"Ms. Rodriguez, did you and Mr. Harrison actually live as husband and wife?"
"Ms. Rodriguez, please answer!"
The questions grew increasingly sharp, with microphones practically shoved in her face.
The crowd pressed closer, a sea of dark figures surrounding her.
"I'm sorry, but you should direct those questions to Mr. Harrison," she replied coldly, then used both hands to push through the crowd, trying to break free from the encirclement.
From the outer edge of the crowd, several emotionally charged people suddenly rushed forward—by their outfits, they appeared to be Zoe's fans.
"That's the bitch! She keeps hurting Zoe!"
"She's the real homewrecker who stole Zoe's rightful place as the CEO's wife for three years!"
The lead girl raised the coffee cup in her hand, her eyes venomous: "Let her have it! Teach her a lesson!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, coffee cups and water bottles came flying at Emma's head.
"Ah!" Emma screamed, instinctively raising her hands to protect herself.
But her shoulder was still hit by an iced coffee, the cold liquid streaming down her white blouse, leaving her looking disheveled.
The sticky liquid soaked her hair as the bitter scent of coffee filled the air.
The reporters grew even more excited, their camera shutters clicking frantically.
Just as the scene spiraled completely out of control—
"Beep—Beep—"
The sharp sound of a car horn forcefully cut through the chaos.
A sleek black Maybach aggressively pushed through the crowd, stopping right in front of them.
Immediately after, several black-suited bodyguards emerged from another luxury car of the same color, quickly moving to separate the reporters from the crazed fans.
The car door opened.
Matthew stepped out, moving against the light with quick strides.
His tall figure carried an intimidating presence as he headed straight for Emma, trapped in the center of the crowd, and pulled her tightly into his arms.
His coat wrapped around her, shielding her from all prying eyes and the cold liquid.
"Move aside!" Matthew's voice was ice-cold, carrying undeniable authority.
The well-trained bodyguards formed a protective barrier around them, forcibly clearing a path.
Matthew half-carried Emma, practically shielding her entire body with his own as they hurried toward the Maybach.
The reporters persisted, still shouting questions from behind as camera flashes continued strobing.
The car door slammed shut, cutting off the outside chaos.
Inside, the lighting was soft.
Matthew immediately pulled a clean handkerchief from the glove compartment, carefully wiping the sticky liquid from Emma's forehead and hair.
The sticky mess, her disheveled hair, and her pale complexion—he had never seen her like this.
His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible fist, the pain almost unbearable.
He regretted it.
He should never have let her return home alone; he should have kept her safely by his side.
What had this so-called marriage done to her?
She was supposed to be the angel who had saved countless cancer patients—calm, decisive, respected by thousands.
Now here she was, being attacked with vile words and garbage by a mob of ignorant people.
Matthew's eyes burned with fury and heartache, yet his movements became increasingly gentle.
Emma looked at his tense jawline and instead forced a faint smile.
"Matthew, don't worry."
After speaking, she gave him a brilliant smile, her eyes bright.
So stubbornly endearing it broke his heart!
"I'm fine. It's all over now!"
Her voice was slightly hoarse but carried an oddly comforting power. The tightness in Matthew's chest slowly began to ease.
Emma spent three entire days locked away in the Moore Group's laboratory.
No one knew what she was doing.
Only she knew, as she studied that pale purple plant over and over, repeatedly extracting its elements.
Recording data again and again.
Only Matthew understood—his Dr. N had returned!
......
In just a few days, the Perez family's circumstances had completely changed.
Harrison Group had thrown the Perez family a small project, solving Steven's urgent financial crisis while netting him a tidy two hundred million dollars.
Nicholas's obvious favoritism was clear to anyone with half a brain.
The Perez family would likely receive significant backing through Nicholas's connections, so the business partners who had previously terminated their contracts with Perez Group came crawling back with apologies—some even offering better terms just to maintain the relationship.
Steven suddenly found himself experiencing the glory of being among the elite.
The battle between Zoe and Harper for the female lead role had officially reached fever pitch.
Fans from both sides argued incessantly, tearing each other apart online.
But Zoe didn't care about some female lead role anymore. With her current status, countless excellent projects were coming to her for collaboration.
So why should she hand it over to Harper?
When it was time to fight for what she wanted, she had to fight!
When Zoe was discharged from the hospital, fans had flooded the area with flowers, instantly restoring her former glory.
As she got into the car, she smiled at her manager, Lynn Rivera.
"Lynn, now it's our turn to strike back!"
"This has to be spectacular!" Her voice carried a sinister edge.
......
After several days, Harrison Group's stock price had finally returned to normal.
In Harrison Group's top-floor office, beyond the massive floor-to-ceiling windows lay the bustling cityscape.
Nicholas stood by the window, his slender fingers holding a cigarette.
His gaze fell on a distant direction—that balcony he had once known so well.
His expression was cold and detached.
In the end, he had still chosen Zoe.
Or rather, he had chosen the solution that best served Harrison Group and aligned with his current state of mind.
What was she doing right now?
Seeing such a statement, would she be happy or sad?
Suddenly, irritation surged from the depths of his heart. Why was he speculating about her feelings?
Whatever Emma felt had nothing to do with him.
But when he saw the video of Emma surrounded by reporters and crowds, harsh questions being hurled at her, followed by the chaos of coffee and water bottles being thrown—
She wore a simple white blouse, now stained with dark splotches, her hair disheveled and clinging to her cheeks, looking somewhat fragile.
Until that man who rushed out gathered her protectively into his arms and led her to the car.
His mood turned sour again!
He walked to his desk and pressed the intercom.
"Charlie."
Soon, his impeccably dressed assistant Charlie pushed through the door.
"Mr. Harrison."
Nicholas turned around and sat behind his desk.
"Issue a press release. If anyone dares to slander or harm Harrison Group's... former CEO's wife again, Harrison Group will not stand idly by."
"Yes." Charlie was startled—was he protecting Emma?
"Have the legal department draft a supplementary agreement."
His fingers tapped lightly on the desktop. "For Emma. Add another billion dollars to the original agreement, plus several more properties."
Charlie paused slightly but quickly regained his composure.
"Very well, Mr. Harrison."
Perhaps this was the last compensation he could offer her.
This money would be enough to keep her comfortable for the rest of her life.
"The property transfer procedures might take some time."
Charlie hesitated, then continued, "Everything needs to be signed before we can proceed with the divorce."
Nicholas pressed his lips together. "Then handle everything before going to court."
"Understood." Charlie felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
It seemed Nicholas had made up his mind and had no intention of trying to win her back.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
The secretary entered with a man who swept in like a whirlwind. The man had shoulder-length hair and wore a white windbreaker, looking rakishly handsome yet seasoned and carefree.
"Nicholas, you really owe me big time for this. I've discovered a huge secret for you."
Tyler Thompson slammed a folder against Nicholas's chest, then continued,
"You're incredibly lucky this time—I had no idea Emma was so exceptional!"
"Could I get a coffee with three sugars, please?" He turned to smile at the secretary, his flirtatious charm working its magic anywhere, anytime.
"Of course, right away!"
Nicholas opened the folder with confusion, and the contents immediately shocked him to his core.